Play

Part 1 - Step by Step

1. InstructInstruct students that they are going to participate in the Volcano Deposit Competition with their Hero Robots. First, they will practice for the competition by driving the Hero Robot to move the orange sensor to the Volcano square, and then use the robot arm to lift and place the sensor on the top of the volcano. View the video below to learn more about the driving and scoring for the Volcano Deposit activities. The end of the video shows an example of how a Hero Robot could be driven during Play Part 1 to accomplish the task.

   Note: You can choose how students interact with the video content. The video is embedded within the Lab 3 Image Slideshow to share easily with students. Or, you may choose to watch the video yourself and present the information to your students in class.
2. ModelModel for students how to remote control drive the Hero Robot to move the sensor, then use the robot arm to lift and place the sensor on the top of the Volcano. Students will be working to practice each of these activities.
   • First, model for students how to launch VEXcode GO, connect their Brain to their device, and open the Drive tab.

   

   • Note: When you first connect your robot to your device, the Gyro built into the Brain may calibrate, causing the robot to move on its own for a moment. This is an expected behavior, do not touch the robot while it's calibrating
   • Next, model for students how to select the Motor option in Port 2, to control the arm motor on the Hero Robot.

   

   • Model for students how to change the Drive Mode by selecting the buttons – Tank Drive, Left Arcade, Right Arcade, or Split Arcade. View the video clip below to see the movement of the joysticks as each Drive Mode is selected. 
   Video file
   • For reference, the Drive Modes correspond to the following controls: 
     • Tank Drive: Each joystick controls a different motor.
     • Left Arcade: One joystick that controls both motors. The joystick is on the left-hand side of the screen.
     • Right Arcade: One joystick that controls both motors. The joystick is on the right-hand side of the screen.
     • Split Arcade: Two joysticks. One controls left and right movements and the other controls forward and reverse movements.
   • Model for students how to raise and lower the arm motor using the green and red arrows around Port 2.
   • Note: The arrows correspond to the direction the motor is spinning, not necessarily the up and down movements of the arm itself. 

   

   • Next, set the Hero Robot on the green starting Tile, and model how to drive, pick up the orange sensor, drive it to the Volcano tile, and place it on the top of the Volcano. This is also shown in the video on the Instruct step.

   

   • As students are practicing driving the Hero Robot to complete the Volcano Deposit activities on the Field, you can use the Volcano Deposit Practice Activity to guide them through how to practice. 
     • Ensure each group has time for each person to practice completing all tasks on the activity.
     • If students finish the practice tasks early before it is time to swap, and need an additional challenge, have them try one of the 'Level Up' extensions on the Volcano Deposit Practice Activity.

   

3. FacilitateFacilitate turn taking and collaboration between and among teams as they are practicing driving their Hero Robots. As you circulate around the room, ask questions like:
   • How are you taking turns driving on your team, so everyone has a chance to practice?
   • Which game task do you prefer – transporting the sensor or lifting and placing the sensor? Why? 
   • What is one idea your teammate had while practicing? How did that idea change your team's strategy?
   • What is one challenge that you are working together to solve in this activity? What problem solving strategies have you tried so far? What will you try next?

   You may want to have multiple areas for practice set up around the room. By dividing the tasks into two sections, you can divide the Field and create one smaller practice area for each set of tasks. For additional practice options, have students use extra books or building materials to simulate a volcano. 

   Facilitate conversations about scoring strategy as students are practicing. You may want to allow extra time for Play Part 1, to enable all students to have enough time to get comfortable with both sets of tasks, so that they can begin to think about strategy. Encourage teams to look at what others are doing around the room, so that they can learn from other teams' experiences as well.

   • What have they figured out through practice that has helped them be successful?
   • What helps them move the sensor most quickly?
   • What helps them lift the sensor?
   • What helps them place the sensor on top of the volcano?
4. RemindRemind students that there are two tasks to accomplish to score in this stage of the competition. They should think about how they can most quickly accomplish the first task of transporting the sensor, to allow the most time to score points in the second task of lifting and placing the sensor. 

   If teams have ideas for robot redesigns to help them score, remind them they can also change their robot design! They may want to make changes to the robot arm to more easily lift the orange sensor and place it on top of the volcano. Remind them that all their designs should be sketched on a Blueprint Worksheet before beginning and then to test the robot after making each change. 

   

5. AskAsk students about a time when they had to complete tasks of increasing difficulty? For example, schoolwork gradually increases in difficulty and sometimes requires a strategy in order to complete. Ask them questions like:
   • How can you develop skills to prepare for the increasing difficulty of the progressing tasks?
   • What techniques are useful for lifting and setting a sensor on top of the Volcano?

Mid-Play Break & Group Discussion

As soon as every group has transported and placed the sensor on top of the Volcano, come together for a brief conversation.

Now that students have practiced driving their Hero Robots to complete the Volcano Deposit practice activity tasks, talk about how teammates worked together to drive and score. 

• How did your team approach transporting, lifting and placing the sensor on the Volcano? What worked well? What did not work well?
• What some useful techniques? Why?
• What made the tasks challenging? Why?

Then, introduce the Volcano Deposit Competition:

• The goal of the competition is to score as many points as you can by completing the Volcano Deposit tasks, in a one minute match.
• Each of the following tasks is worth one point:
  • Transporting the orange sensor to the orange square
  • Lifting and placing the orange sensor on top of the Volcano
• Teams will apply what they learned in practice to help them score the most points they can in the competition!

Talk about how teams can use what they learned in practice to help them develop a strategy for the competition.

• How can you use your strategies to accomplish the tasks in the quickest time?
• Using the engineering design process, what are some ways to improve the robot arm?
• How will you communicate with one another to come up with a strategy?

Part 2 - Step by Step

1. InstructInstruct students that they are now going to participate in the Volcano Deposit Competition! The goal of the competition is to score as many points as you can by completing the activities they practiced in Play Part 1, in a one minute match. 

   Use the Volcano Deposit Competition Activity (Google / .docx / .pdf) as a guide for students as you engage in the competition. 

   

    

2. ModelModel how to set up the Field to begin the match. The robot should begin on the green Tile.

   

   • To learn more about organizing a VEX GO Classroom Competition, see this article.
   • Share with students the match order and expectations, so that they know what they should be doing during the competition before and after their turn to drive.
     • You can use this Match Order Template (Google / .docx / .pdf) to show teams the order in which they will be competing. You can also use this sheet as a way to keep track of the score after each match. Try to have enough matches so that each student gets a chance to drive the robot at least once. 

   

   • Demonstrate for students how you will operate the timer, and what to look and listen for to know when to start and stop driving their robots on the Field. 
   • Show students where they can be seated during the competition matches. If you have practice areas or other spaces students can be in during the competition, show them these areas as well, and explain how they are to be used.
   • Review expectations for how to be a respectful participant in the competition. Encourage students to cheer for one another, and to be excited about the competition – this is meant to be a fun classroom experience! Be sure that students are showing good sportsmanship before, during, and after each matches.
   • Model how a match is run. Start the timer, and drive the Hero Robot on the Field to complete the game tasks. When the timer reaches one minute, stop driving. At the end of the demonstration, count the number of completed tasks: transport the orange sensor to the Volcano tile, and place the sensor on the top of the Volcano.
     • Mark the score on the Match Order Template or on the VEX GO Leaderboard.
     • If you are using a VEX GO Leaderboard, show students how the scores will be entered and displayed on the Leaderboard.
   • Model how to reset the Field for the next match. The orange sensor should be placed on the orange square in front of the Underwater Lab, as shown in the image above.
3. FacilitateFacilitate the classroom competition matches, and engage students in conversations about their driving and collaboration between matches. Use discussion prompts like:

   Before the start of a match: 

   • Which team member will be driving? Can you explain your scoring strategy, or what you are going to try to do, in this match? 
   • What is one thing you are going to try to do the same as your practice or previous match? Why? 
   • What is one thing you are going to try to do differently than your practice or previous match? Why? 

   During a match: 

   • Watch how the driver is controlling the speed of the robot. What do you notice? 
   • Watch how the driver is using the arm of the robot. What do you notice?
   • Watch how the driver is navigating from one task to another. What do you notice?

   After a match: 

   • What is something you learned from your driving that you will use in your next match? 
   • What is something you learned from watching another driver that can help you in your match?
4. RemindRemind students that they can continue to develop their strategy between each of their matches. They may want to change their plan from one match to the next based on what they found while driving, or something they saw another team do. Remind teams that they should always be communicating strategy ideas with their teammates, so no matter who is driving in the match the whole team is clear on what the driver is trying to do in order to score.

   You may want to give students a way to take notes as they are watching the competition, using the Blueprint Worksheet (Google / .docx / .pdf) or the Data Collection Sheet (Google / .docx / .pdf). This way they can have a tangible way to keep track of strategy ideas as they prepare for their next match. 

5. AskAsk students about their experience in this competition and have them compare it to the previous Lab.
   • How did your team do in the Volcano Deposit Competition? How did your score change over time?  Was your team able to complete the tasks in less than an hour?
   • What strategy did your team have for completing the tasks? How was this similar or different from the Data Discovery Competition in Lab 2?